Ethel Waters

Waters, Ethel (1900–77), African-American singer and actress. She started singing the blues and popular music in clubs when she was 17 and went on to star in musicals, including Africana (1927), At Home Abroad (1935), and Cabin in the Sky (1940). She popularized several songs from the musicals, such as “Heat Wave,” and “Taking a Chance on Love.” Her singing style was greatly acclaimed, and she recorded with jazz musicians such as Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. Waters had dramatic roles in several films, including Pinky (1949), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award as supporting actress, and The Member of the Wedding (1950). She recounted her life in her autobiography, His Eye Is on the Sparrow (1951).